An SSH connection to a not directly linked system frequently makes at least one hop through the DMZ. The Belier tool simplifies this process. The program is now available in Debian's sid repository.

Belier can establish SSH connections with multiple hosts as waystations to a target host by generating a shell script. Users enter the name of the target host and the intervening hops in a connections file. Belier then generates the "bel --entree=connections" executable script. You can thereby enter user account data for each of the hosts.

Passwords can be entered interactively or as cleartext in the connections file (with its security implications). Belier allows users to run commands or open an interactive session on the target host. The tool also allows tunneling to the host and copying files to it per SCP.

Belier is under GPLv3 licensing and is currently in version 1.1, which developer Carl Chenet designates as beta. The program requires at least Python 2.4 and Expect 5.42.1. The project homepage includes the source code and a Python easy_install. Thanks to developer Christian Perrier there is also a recent Deb package in the official Debian archive.

Ubuntu's Community Manager, Jono Bacon, has announced the Opportunistic Developer Week, to take place from March 1 to 6, 2010. The distance learning course will deal with the speedy creation of applications on the Linux desktop.